Caught in Political Sex Trap

Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia and carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years. Dr Anwar, a former Malaysian deputy prime minister, was jailed in 1999 on charges of corruption and sodomy after a falling out with then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

He later had his sodomy conviction overturned and was freed from jail in 2004. In 2008 he was charged again with sodomy. Dr Anwar has maintained the case against him is fabricated and trumped up by his political enemies who fear his political resurgence.

The case against Dr Anwar has drawn widespread international criticism and has included some bizarre twists. Earlier this year, a prosecutor in the sodomy trial was dropped after she was accused of having an affair with the star witness.

The witness, 25-year- old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, worked as an aide in Dr Anwar's office. He has accused the 62-year-old of sodomising him in an apartment in Malaysia.

Earlier this month, Australian politician Nick Xenophon travelled to Malaysia to observe Dr Anwar's ongoing court proceedings, which were adjourned.

In December 2009, a month after ONA's brief assessment of Dr Anwar's case, the Malaysian criticised Kevin Rudd for not meeting him during his visit to Australia. He accused Mr Rudd of appeasing Malaysia's ''corrupt leaders'' by snubbing him.

''He [Mr Rudd] was too obsessed with interests of getting the two countries together [and therefore] appease Malaysia's corrupt leaders,'' Dr Anwar said at the time.